1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to oil filters. More specifically, the invention is an internal combustion engine oil filter casing specially adapted for engagement by a standard hand tool and to an oil filter employing such a casing for assisting an operator in removing the filter from an engine block.
2. Description of the Related Art
A number of practices and devices have been devised for aiding the removal of internal combustion engine oil filters from, or installing the filters to, an engine block.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,266,452 issued on May 12, 1981. to Crist discloses an oil filter wrench that is generally cup-shaped, having an internal surface for engaging the polygonal end. of the filter in the manner of a socket wrench. The open end of the tool is flared to a larger diameter than the filter body for catching oil which escapes as the filter is removed, and an internal space is provided to act as a reservoir for the escaping oil.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,465,595 issued on Aug. 14, 1984 to Cooper discloses an apparatus for assembly and disassembly of a filter construction. A threaded jackscrew is mated to a threaded portion of the filter head and rotatably mounted to the filter canister, but longitudinally confined near the canister top. The assembly accommodates a second class lever whose fulcrum end is received ill a recess in the filter head.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,871,455 issued on Oct. 3, 1989 to Terhune et al. discloses a filter assembly with lockable lug means and a pivotally mounted handle.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,988,437 issued on Jan. 29, 1991 to Gefter et al. discloses an in-line leaf trap having a main body and a separable lid. The main body may have an attached handle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,000,847 issued on Mar. 19, 1991 to Huang discloses a spin-on type oil filter with an improvement to the normal filter body that allows non-tool assisted, easy hand installation and removal of the filter unit in open and close tolerance situations. The external closed end of the oil filter housing may be provided with at least a single centrally fixed rib, which serves as a handle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,024,760 issued on Jun. 18, 1991 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,744,032 issued on Apr. 28, 1998 to Kemper disclose an easily removable oil filter and an oil filter attachment having bracket type fins spaced around the circumference of the oil filter body and of the attachment.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,180,489 issued on Jan. 19, 1993 to Bourgeois discloses a filter cartridge having an internal liquid trap.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,230,795 issued on Jul. 27, 1993 to Yang discloses a quick release oil filter having a shell that has a cap enclosed at the bottom, a filter disposed in the shell, a tube disposed in the shell and having a lower end engaged with the engine, and a quick release having a lower end engaged with the tube.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,328,606 issued on Jul. 12, 1994 to Warren et: al. discloses a spin-on oil filter that comprises a tubular body housing a filtering element and a retractable, external handle that can be manually gripped and twisted for filter installation and removal. The handle comprises a pair of spaced apart, elongated legs and an internal grip extending between the legs for grasping by a user.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,469,935 issued on Nov. 28, 1995 to Hewuse discloses an oil filter removing aid being in the form of an annular elastomeric sleeve having an upper end and a lower end.
German Patent No. 1189520, published Mar. 25, 1965, discloses an oil filter wherein the end wall of the filter casing has a pair of abutments on both sides of the filter axis. The abutments act as coupling for a rod-lever during the application of a torque.
French Patent No. 2300600, published October 1976, discloses a filter for liquids that incorporates a cylindrical cover screwed onto a base plate in which are the inlet and outlet holes. The cover has a protuberance on the cover to accept a key for unscrewing it. The protuberance has a finger with two sides that come to an apex. The key has a U-shaped end with two points.
The prior art fails to teach a practice or device which assists an operator to simply, efficiently, and effectively remove an oil filter from an engine block. None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singularly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus an oil filter casing solving the aforementioned problems is desired.